


Never Tickle A Sleeping Dragon

by BeccaBluejay



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-03-31 06:13:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13969059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeccaBluejay/pseuds/BeccaBluejay
Summary: A sleep deprived Harry and the school motto ' Never tickle a sleeping dragon 'and the realisation that Draco means Dragon makes for an interesting combination.





	Never Tickle A Sleeping Dragon

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy! And if there are any mistakes please let me know, this was kind of done at three in the morning.....

Harry had never bothered to translate the motto underneath the Hogwarts crest. It meant making an effort and it was never the most important thing in his life anyway. It wasn't like Quirrell demanded the Stone then said, " I'll back off if you know the school's motto. " Or, the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets could only be opened using the school motto. Hell, not even Dumbledore used the motto as a password! He protected his office and living space with sweets! But now, here he sat in one of the armchairs by the fire daydreaming and it pops into his head. " Hey, Hermione? " calls Harry lazily. Hermione hums but doesn't look up from her Potions essay. " What's the Hogwarts motto mean? " Hermione lays her quill down and yawns. " Never tickle a sleeping dragon. " She gathers up her things and makes her way to the girls dorms. " Goodnight Harry. " Harry stares into the fire and scoffs. " What kind of life lesson is that? " He yawns and gazes longingly at the entrance to the boy's dorms where everyone else had disappeared to a half hour ago. But he had a stack of homework to do, most due for tomorrow, so he rubbed his eyes and pulled his Potions essay towards him. It was a particularly nasty one on the properties of some obscure plant and how it can be used to successfully turn someone into a colorless vapour. When he'd ever need that Harry didn't know but nevertheless he got to work and at half three in the morning trudged up to the boy's dorms, like he has done every night for the past fortnight.

The next morning Ron commented on his apparent lack of sleep. " Mate, I hate to say it, but you look horrible. " And he was right. Harry's face was drawn and pale. Dark purple blue bags hung very pronounced under his eyes and his hair was even more stuck up everywhere than usual. " Maybe you should skiv off Potions and get some sleep. " " Can't " yawned Harry, " Snape'll kill me. " Ron patted him on the back encouragingly and grimaced. During breakfast Hermione had to stop him from attempting to pour pumpkin juice onto his plate. She placed a bowl of porridge in front of him and shared a look with Ron over his head. She then had to quickly stop him from falling asleep face first into his porridge, onto which he had poured cheerios. Potions was first class and throughout the walk to the dungeons Hermione and Ron kept casting concerned glances at Harry. Twice he had walked into a suit of armour and twice he had apologised to said suit of armour. They reached the dungeons just in time but upon seeing them standing in the doorway Snaps smiled dangerously. " Late, Potter? " He said softly but deadly. " Let's see, five points from Gryffindor each and let's split up the dream team shall we? Granger, Parkinson. Weasley, Zabini. And Potter, Malfoy. " He strode up to the front of the class and with a flick of his wand, the instructions for the potion they were going to make began to write themselves on the board.

Harry sat down beside Draco without argument. His brain was mush. The late nights of the past two weeks seemed to be catching up with him all at once and everything passed through his brain then immediately out of it, without him understanding anything. Malfoy sneered at him. " Cut up these roots Potter and don't mess it up. " Harry stared down at the roots Draco had shoved towards him. He shrugged and began to sluggishly chop them. Malfoy glanced at him and scowled. " You're mauling those roots Potter. " Harry blinked away the daze be had fallen into and pushed the sorry remains of the roots back to Draco. " Skin that Shrivelfig. " And so, Potions continued with Draco telling Harry what to do and Harry doing it mindlessly. Draco was extremely put out. None of his taunting provoked Harry. He pushed a dragon claw towards the other boy. " Descale that. " Harry began to descale it. With a spoon. He eventually gave up and la yes his head down on his arms. _Dragon,_  He mused, _dragon claw, Draco, Never tickle a sleeping dragon...._ And promptly jabbed Draco in the side with his spoon.

The effect was instantaneous. Draco shrieked and toppled off his stool the the surprise of many students. Snape yelled at Harry to " stop being a fool, ten points from Gryffindor. " Draco got to his feet in shock, clutching his side. The bell rang and Harry absentmindedly picked up his bag and walked out of the classroom, still clutching the spoon. Hermione and Ron guided him to the library where they told him to stay and sleep, Hermione for once not minding that he miss a class. " It's only Divination " she said with a flick of her hair and she and Ron went off to their respective classes wondering what exactly compelled Harry to poke Draco Malfoy.  
*******

Draco stormed through the corridors extremely confused and annoyed. He stalked into the library and went to the C aisle. " Confundus Charms.... " He muttered under his breath. Draco grabbed the tome he needed and walked out of the aisle, intent of finding an armchair to sit in while he read. Except Harry Potter was sitting in the armchair, curled up fast asleep and _still holding that damn spoon!_ Draco snarled and stormed over to the chair. He slammed the heavy book onto the table beside the armchair. The loud noise startled Harry awake. He jerked up and looked around wildly. " Wha-? " " Potter! " He gazed blearily and yawned. " M-malfoy? " Harry stuttered. Draco scowled, his grey eyes flashing dangerously. " Yes, me. What was that in Potions?!" Harry was very confused. " What was what in Potions? " He stifled a yawn. " Don't play coy with me Potter. " Draco hissed. " First you act like a buffoon and ruin the only simple part of a very difficult potion, then you try to descale a dragon claw with a spoon - which you're still holding! - then you poke me, in the side, out of the blue, with the same spoon! "

Harry rubbed his eyes and sighed. " Malfoy, I barely know what's happened this week let alone this morning. So I thank you immensely for disturbing my only decent sleep in nearly two weeks and, as much as I love this conversation, I'm going to go. " He started to get up but Draco shoved him back down fiercely, startling Harry. " No! Not until I figure out what's wrong with you! " Harry rolled his eyes but made no second move to get up. " It's sleep deprivation, Malfoy. " Draco appraised him and sniffed precociously. "I'm still not ruling out Confundus Charms. " Harry yawned. " Whatever. " He closed his eyes and snuggled further down into the armchair. For a few minutes there was relative silence. The only sounds were their breathing, the turning of pages as Draco read and the far away noises of self shelving books. Harry was on the verge of sleep when a thought occurred to him. " Why'd you care so much if there's something wrong with me?" He mumbles sleepily. " I don't! " was the sharp reply. Harry hummed. " ..... Pansy keeps trying to tickle me now. So I decided  to find out what was wrong with you, in order to stop this ever happening again. " Harry laughed. " That's silly. You never tickle a sleeping Draco. Or an awake one. " " What are you talking about Potter? " Harry shifts so he can be more comfortable and huffs. " Motto. Dragons. Dragon, Draco. Never tickle a sleeping Draco. Or an awake one. He shrieks. " " That's ridiculous. Harry tries to shrug. " That's Hogwarts. " Draco laughs, surprised. " You sound nice when you laugh. You should do it more. " yawns Harry, " And smile. Smiling's nice. " Draco felt his face go red and scowled. Harry shifted and huffed again. He kicks his legs out and they land on Draco's legs from where he sat cross-legged on the table. " Potter, what in Salazar's name are you doing? " Harry grunts. " Not comfy before. Comfy now. " " Go to sleep Potter. You have no filter when you're tired. " And that's how Hermione found them an hour later. Harry with his legs dangling over Draco and Draco glaring at anyone who dared make a noise. His withering glare could rival Madam Pince's. Hermione smiles to herself and walks away, deciding Harry deserved another hour's sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are loved! Constructive criticism is appreciated, but only constructive criticism not plain ol criticism. : )


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